Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A ball bat includes a barrel having a radially inner surface. Graphics, or
an indicator layer including graphics, that provide a visual indication
of whether tampering, such as shaving, has occurred to the radially inner
surface of the barrel are affixed to, applied to, or integral with the
radially inner surface of the barrel. A transparent or translucent cap,
or a cap including a window, is optionally attached to an end of the
barrel to provide visual inspection of the internal graphics. The cap
itself may additionally or alternatively include internal observable
features, or external engraved or etched features, that make the cap
difficult to replicate or counterfeit.

Claims:

1. A ball bat, comprising:a handle;a barrel connected to, or integral
with, the handle, with the barrel including a radially inner surface;an
indicator layer affixed to, or integral with, the radially inner surface
of the barrel, wherein the indicator layer provides a visual indication
of whether tampering with the radially inner surface of the barrel has
occurred.

2. The ball bat of claim 1 further comprising a transparent or translucent
cap attached to a free end of the barrel through which the indicator
layer is visible.

3. The ball bat of claim 1 further comprising a cap attached to a free end
of the barrel, wherein the cap includes a window through which the
indicator layer is visible.

4. The ball bat of claim 1 wherein the indicator layer includes graphics,
the presence of which indicates that tampering with the radially inner
surface of the barrel has not occurred.

5. The ball bat of claim 4 wherein the graphics include a written message.

6. The ball bat of claim 1 further comprising an additional indicator
layer affixed to, or integral with, the radially inner surface of the
handle, wherein the additional indicator layer provides a visual
indication of whether tampering with the radially inner surface of the
handle has occurred.

7. The ball bat of claim 1 wherein the barrel comprises a plurality of
composite layers, and wherein the indicator layer comprises a porous
material that is integral with the composite layers of the barrel.

8. The ball bat of claim 1 wherein the indicator layer is adhered to the
radially inner surface of the barrel.

9. A ball bat, comprising:a handle;a barrel connected to, or integral
with, the handle, with the barrel including a radially inner surface;
andgraphics on the radially inner surface of the barrel providing a
visual indication of whether tampering with the radially inner surface of
the barrel has occurred.

10. The ball bat of claim 9 wherein the graphics include a written
message.

11. The ball bat of claim 9 further comprising a transparent or
translucent cap attached to a free end of the barrel through which the
graphics are visible.

12. The ball bat of claim 9 further comprising a cap attached to a free
end of the barrel, wherein the cap includes a window through which the
graphics are visible.

13. A ball bat, comprising:a handle;a barrel connected to, or integral
with, the handle, with the barrel including a radially inner
surface;graphics, or an indicator layer including graphics, on the
radially inner surface of the barrel; anda cap attached to a free end of
the barrel including a transparent or translucent portion through which
the graphics are visible.

15. The ball bat of claim 13 wherein the cap includes a substantially
central opening in which a transparent or translucent window through
which the graphics are visible is positioned.

16. A ball bat, comprising:a handle;a barrel connected to, or integral
with, the handle; anda cap, at least a portion of which is transparent or
translucent, attached to a free end of the barrel, wherein the cap
includes an axially inner section into or onto which internal features
are engraved or embossed such that the internal features are observable
through the transparent or translucent portion of the cap.

17. The ball bat of claim 16 further comprising graphics, or an indicator
layer including graphics, on a radially inner surface of the barrel,
wherein the graphics are viewable through the cap and provide a visual
indication of whether tampering with the radially inner surface of the
barrel has occurred.

18. (canceled)

19. The ball bat of claim 16 wherein the inner section of the cap includes
upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the internal features are engraved
into or embossed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the inner
section.

20. A ball bat, comprising:a handle;a barrel connected to, or integral
with, the handle, wherein the barrel includes first engraved or etched
portions; anda cap adhesively attached to the barrel to prevent rotation
or axial movement of the car within the barrel, wherein the cap includes
second engraved or etched portions in alignment with the first engraved
or etched portions in the barrel, and wherein the car does not include
additional features for preventing rotation of the car within the barrel.

Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001]One area of concern in the ball bat industry is the purposeful
tampering with, or "doctoring" of, the barrel structure by players.
Doctoring typically refers to a method by which a player structurally
alters a ball bat, such as a composite or aluminum bat, in a manner that
increases the bat's performance, often beyond the limits of
association-approved play. One common method of doctoring includes
removing, via sanding or shaving, internal layers of the bat barrel.
Doing so reduces the barrel's thickness, which lessens the weight of the
bat and increases the radial compliance of the barrel. This increase in
radial barrel compliance generally leads to an increase in the velocity
of a batted ball, often beyond approved association limits.
Unfortunately, it is typically very difficult to detect such internal
doctoring.

SUMMARY

[0002]A ball bat includes a barrel having a radially inner surface.
Graphics, or an indicator layer including graphics, that provide a visual
indication of whether tampering, such as shaving, has occurred to the
radially inner surface of the barrel are affixed to, applied to, or
integral with the radially inner surface of the barrel. A transparent or
translucent cap, or a cap including a window, is optionally attached to
an end of the barrel to provide visual inspection of the internal
graphics. The cap itself may additionally or alternatively include
internal observable features, or external engraved or etched features,
that make the cap difficult to replicate or counterfeit. Other features
and advantages will appear hereinafter. The features described above can
be used alone or in various combinations with one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003]In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the
same element throughout each of the views:

[0004]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a ball bat showing a tamper-indicating
layer located in the barrel of the ball bat, according to one embodiment.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a partial top-perspective view of a ball bat with the cap
removed to reveal an indicator layer to which discrete tampering has
occurred, according to one embodiment.

[0006]FIG. 3 is perspective view of a ball bat including a cap with a
window for providing visual inspection of a tamper-indicating layer in
the ball bat, according to one embodiment.

[0007]FIG. 4 is a top-perspective view of a tamper-resistant cap,
according to one embodiment.

[0008]FIG. 4A is a side-sectional view, taken along line A-A, of the
tamper-resistant cap shown in FIG. 4.

[0009]FIG. 5 is a partial-side view of bat barrel including an engraved or
etched cap.

[0010]FIG. 5A is a partial-side exploded view of the bat barrel and
engraved or etched cap shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The
following description provides specific details for a thorough
understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled
in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced
without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures
or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid
unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various
embodiments.

[0012]The terminology used in the description and claims presented below
is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even
though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of
certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be
emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in
any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in
this detailed description section.

[0013]Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include
the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word "or"
is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other
items in a list of two or more items, then the use of "or" in such a list
is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b)
all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the
list.

[0014]Turning in detail to the drawings, as shown in FIG. 1, a baseball or
softball bat 10, hereinafter collectively referred to as a "ball bat" or
"bat," includes a handle 12, a barrel 14, and a tapered section 16
joining the handle 12 to the barrel 14. The handle 12 and barrel 14 may
be separate pieces or may be integrally joined to each other via the
tapered section 16. The free end of the handle 12 includes a knob 18 or a
similar structure. The barrel 14 is preferably closed off by a suitable
cap 20 or plug, as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The interior of the bat
10 is hollow, which allows the bat 10 to be relatively lightweight so
that ball players may generate substantial bat speed when swinging the
bat 10.

[0015]The ball bat 10 preferably has an overall length of 20 to 40 inches,
more preferably 26 to 34 inches. The overall barrel diameter is
preferably 2.0 to 3.0 inches, more preferably 2.25 to 2.75 inches.
Typical ball bats have diameters of 2.25, 2.625, or 2.75 inches. Bats
having various combinations of these overall lengths and barrel
diameters, as well as any other suitable dimensions, are contemplated
herein. The specific preferred combination of bat dimensions is generally
dictated by the user of the bat 10, and may vary greatly between users.

[0016]The ball bat 10 is preferably constructed from one or more composite
or metallic materials. Some examples of suitable composite materials
include fiber-reinforced glass, graphite, boron, carbon, aramid, ceramic,
Kevlar, or Astroquartz®. Aluminum or another suitable metallic
material may also be used to construct the ball bat 10. A ball bat
including a combination of metallic and composite materials may also be
constructed. For example, a ball bat having a metal barrel and a
composite handle, or a composite barrel and a metal handle, may be used
in the embodiments described herein. Additionally, the ball bat 10 may
include a single-wall or multi-wall barrel, as described in detail in
U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,054, for example, which is incorporated herein by
reference.

[0017]As schematically shown in FIG. 1, an indicator layer 22 including
graphics is affixed to, or integral with, a radially inner surface of the
barrel 14. The graphics on the indicator layer 22 may include words,
numbers, colors or any other visual elements that differ in appearance
from the radially inner surface of the barrel 14 itself. As a result,
removal of a portion of the indicator layer 22 provides a visual
indication that tampering with the indicator layer 22, and most likely
with the radially inner surface of the barrel 14, has occurred. If a user
shaves or sands away radially inner regions of the barrel 14, for
example, portions of the indicator layer 22 that previously covered those
regions of the barrel 14 will be shaved away, as well. As a result, a
person viewing the radially inner surface of the barrel 14 will readily
be able to observe that portions of the indicator layer 22, and most
likely portions of the barrel 14, have been removed.

[0018]An example of such tampering is shown in FIG. 2, in which a discrete
portion 24 of an instance of the term "Any Image" has been removed from
the indicator layer 22 in a bat 10 from which the cap has been removed.
As is clear in FIG. 2, a viewer can readily observe that tampering with
the indicator layer 22, and most likely with the radially inner surface
of the barrel 14, has occurred, due to the absence of the portion 24 of
the term "Any Image" from the indicator layer 22.

[0019]While a user who shaves or sands the radially inner surface of a bat
barrel 14 to gain a performance advantage would typically remove a much
greater portion of the inner surface of the barrel 14 than that which is
shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable that the words or other graphics on the
indicator layer 22 are located in close proximity to one another so that
they occupy most of the surface area of the indicator layer 22. Words
such as "Do Not Remove," "Do Not Disturb," or "Official," for example,
may be repeatedly printed on the indicator layer 22 in close proximity to
one another to provide an indication of tampering at almost any region of
the indicator layer 22. Accordingly, a user cannot easily shave or sand
away barrel regions located between the words or graphics. Any suitable
text or image could be used for this purpose.

[0020]Alternatively (or additionally), the entire indicator layer 22 may
be dyed or otherwise colored in one or more hues that differ, preferably
substantially, from the color of the radially inner surface of the bat
barrel 14. In this scenario, removal of any portion of the indicator
layer 22 would be readily observable by a viewer, due to the stark
contrast between the colors of the indicator layer 22 and the radially
inner surface of the bat barrel 14.

[0021]In one embodiment of a composite ball bat 10, the indicator layer 22
is made from a porous, printable material that may be co-molded with the
composite layers of the bat barrel 14. In this embodiment, the indicator
layer 22 becomes integral with the barrel structure after molding of the
ball bat 10. The porous, printable material may optionally be made of the
same fiber-reinforced, composite materials used to construct the ball bat
10 such that the indicator layer 22 becomes substantially or completely
homogeneous with the composite barrel 14 after the molding process. The
indicator layer 22 may, for example, be a ply of fiberglass or of another
fiber-reinforced material with graphics or colors applied thereon. The
indicator layer 22 may alternatively be a spunbond nylon, nonwoven
material, or any other material suitable for displaying words or other
graphics over the radially inner surface of the bat barrel 14.

[0022]The indicator layer 22 may alternatively be affixed or otherwise
attached to the radially inner surface of the bat barrel 14 after the bat
has been molded or formed. A sheet or sleeve of plastic, nylon, paper, or
another suitable material, including printed or otherwise applied
graphics, may be adhered with a strong epoxy, or otherwise affixed, to
the radially inner surface of the bat barrel 14. If epoxy or glue is used
to affix the indicator sheet or sleeve to the barrel 14, it is preferably
applied over substantially the entire surface area of the sheet or sleeve
to form a strong, complete bond between the sheet or sleeve and the inner
barrel surface. Accordingly, a player would be effectively prevented from
removing the sheet or sleeve from the barrel 14, then shaving or sanding
away portions of the barrel 14, then replacing the sheet or sleeve over
the shaved or sanded regions to hide those regions.

[0023]In an alternative embodiment, the indicator words or other graphics
may be directly painted on or otherwise applied to the radially inner
surface of the bat barrel 14, as opposed to being embodied in or on a
separate layer of material. For example, the radially inner surface of
the barrel 14 may be painted or dyed one or more colors different from
that of the barrel material itself. Alternatively, "non-barrel colored"
words or other graphics may be written, painted, or otherwise applied to
the radially inner surface of the barrel 14. For example, the instances
of "Any Text" and "Any Image" shown in FIG. 2 may be embodied in a
separate indicator layer 22, as described above, or may be painted on or
otherwise directly applied to the radially inner surface of the bat
barrel 14.

[0024]As shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the ball bat 10 includes a
cap 20 that allows for visual inspection of the indicator layer 22 (or
directly applied graphics) by a viewer without requiring removal of the
cap 20. In one embodiment, all or some of the cap 20 itself is
transparent or translucent so that a user can view the indicator layer 22
through the cap 20. In another embodiment, the cap may include an opening
26 through which the indicator layer 22 may be viewed. A plastic window
or other transparent or translucent element is preferably positioned in,
or otherwise covers, the opening 26 to prevent dust or debris from
entering the interior of the ball bat 10.

[0025]Additionally or alternatively, the cap 20 may be readily removable
so that an umpire or other game official, for example, may quickly remove
the cap 20 to inspect the integrity of the indicator layer 22 or directly
applied graphics. Such a cap 20 may include threads that are threadable
into corresponding threads in the free end of the barrel 14, or may be
configured to be snap-fit into a receiving element molded into the barrel
14, or may be removably attached via any other suitable mechanism.

[0026]In one embodiment, an indicator layer or directly applied graphics
may additionally or alternatively be included on a radially inner surface
of the handle 12 of the ball bat 10. In this scenario, the knob 18 may be
transparent or translucent, or may include a window, as described above
with respect to the cap 20, to provide visual inspection of the indicator
layer or directly applied graphics in the handle 12. Alternatively or
additionally, the knob may be readily removable, and may be attached in
any suitable manner, such as via the mechanisms described above with
respect to the cap 20, to allow for visual inspection of the indicator
layer or directly applied graphics in the handle 12.

[0027]Turning to FIGS. 4 and 4A, in another embodiment, a transparent or
translucent cap 30 includes internal observable features, such as raised
or embossed letters 32 or recessed letters 34, on or in an inner section
36 of the cap 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the letters of the
word "Official" are embossed on and engraved into the upper and lower
surfaces of the inner section 36 of the cap 30. The observable features
may alternatively include any texture, text, or image embossed on or
engraved into the upper or lower surfaces of the inner section 36 such
that they are visible when the cap 30 is installed in the bat 10.

[0028]While the observable features may be located on or in only one of
the upper and lower surfaces of the inner section 36, it is preferable to
locate the observable features on or in both the upper and lower
surfaces, since such a configuration is more difficult to replicate or
counterfeit. When the observable features are positioned in this manner,
an observer will see the upper and lower features separate and then align
as the viewing angle changes.

[0029]Barrel caps are often loaded with material to add weight to the end
of the bat to provide a desired moment of inertia (swing weight) for a
given bat model. This end load material is typically an epoxy or urethane
that is poured into the cap or bat and allowed to cure in place. The end
load material may be opaque or, if translucent, may have a different
index of refraction than that of the transparent or translucent cap 30,
thereby allowing a viewer to readily see the observable features on or in
the inner section 36 of the cap 30.

[0030]In a preferred embodiment, the observable features are of a nature
that is very difficult to replicate. The observable features could, for
example, include very fine details, such as fine gratings or images. Text
that is both engraved and embossed would also be difficult to replicate.
Micro or nano-text letters, or images smaller than 0.020'' high, for
example, may also be combined into macro-scale text or images. Micro or
nano-text would be very difficult to replicate. Its presence, therefore,
suggests that an image is authentic.

[0031]The ability to achieve these micro and nano features is a function
of the methods used to mold (typically injection molding) the original
bat caps and the melt viscosity of the material used to mold the cap.
Typical materials used to mold caps, for example, polycarbonate, lexan,
urethane, and nylon, can include molded features that are 0.003 inches or
smaller. Casting features this small can be difficult due to the
relatively high viscosity of the material and the low pressure at which
the molding process occurs. Accordingly, replicating or counterfeiting
caps made according to these methods, without bubble entrapment in the
translucent material, is much more difficult to achieve than are current
methods of making counterfeit caps in an opaque material. Indeed, casting
a counterfeit cap in a transparent or translucent material, in general,
is very challenging. Casting flaws, such as bubbles, striations, and sink
marks, are likely to occur. Such flaws are readily observable indicators
that a cap may not be a manufacturer's original cap.

[0032]The translucent or transparent cap 30 may alternatively include a
security feature or image molded within the cap 30 between the inner
section 36 and the outer section 38. A label, decal, medallion, fibers,
netting, or graphic image, for example, may be injection molded within
the walls of the translucent cap 30. A cap including such a security
feature would be very difficult to replicate or counterfeit. Placement of
a security hologram within the walls of the cap is also possible, though
the three-dimensional effect of the hologram could be diminished due to
the optical index of refraction of the cap material, which could alter
the virtual position of the image.

[0033]To make counterfeiting of the cap 30 even more difficult, the
translucent cap 30 may include alternating materials or colors. Mixing
materials or textures, especially hard and soft textures, for example,
would make counterfeiting very difficult.

[0034]Turning to FIGS. 5 and 5A, in another embodiment, a cap 40 including
engraved or etched portions 42 is attached to the bat barrel 14. The
barrel 14 includes complementary or corresponding engraved or etched
portions 44. The engraving or etching is preferably performed after the
cap 40 is attached to the barrel 14 to assure proper alignment of the
image details between the barrel 14 and the cap 40. The fine detail in
the image or text traversing the seam or parting line 46 between the cap
40 and the barrel 14 makes it very difficult for someone to remove the
cap 40 from the barrel 14 without disturbing the alignment of the image
or text. Thus, a misalignment in the image or text is an indication that
the bat 10 may have been tampered with or modified. In a preferred
embodiment, an attachment portion 48 of the cap 40 is adhesively bonded
to a receiving element inside the barrel 14, or directly to the radially
inner surface of the barrel 14, to prevent possible rotation or axial
movement of the cap 40 during normal use.

[0035]The engraved or etched cap 40 may be transparent, translucent, or
opaque. The cap 40 may be made of any suitable material, such as a
thermoplastic or thermoset material. Some examples of suitable cap
materials are urethane, acrylic, ABS, polycarbonate, PVC, nylon, or
alloys of these materials.

[0036]The engraving or etching may be performed using one or more lasers,
a machined engraving pen, a stylus, a chemical etchant, a sand blaster
with a stencil that includes bead blasting, or another suitable device.
The engraving or etching is preferably sufficiently deep that normal wear
and tear will not remove the engraved or etched image. While the
necessary depth may vary based on the specific materials used in the cap
40 and the barrel 14, a depth of at least 0.005 inches is generally
preferred.

[0037]The engraved regions may optionally be filled with a contrastingly
colored resin or similar material for aesthetic purposes or to reduce
wear. Filling the engraved regions with a contrasting color material
would also make it more difficult for a counterfeiter to cast a mold to
replicate the engraving.

[0038]Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or in
combination with one another. For example, a ball bat 10 may include an
indicator layer 22 or directly applied graphics on the radially inner
surface of the barrel 14, and may further include a transparent or
translucent cap 30 including internal observable features. The cap 30 may
optionally further include an opening 26 covered by a window. Such an
opening 26 would preferably provide a large enough field of view for an
observer to be able to see past the internal observable features into the
interior of the bat 10, thereby allowing the observer to view the
indicator layer 22 or directly applied graphics through the opening 26.
The cap may also include engraved or etched portions that align with
corresponding engraved or etched portions in the barrel 14. Any
combination of these features may be included in the ball bat 10.

[0039]Any of the tamper-indicating caps 30 or 40 described herein are
preferably made of a substantially rigid or brittle material, such as a
polycarbon or other high modulus material, such that it is difficult to
remove the cap 30 or 40 without damaging or breaking the cap 30 or 40.
The caps 30 or 40 are preferably attached to the barrel 14 via a snap-fit
or an adhesive, such as a strong epoxy. Thus, if a player removes the
rigid or brittle cap (with the intention of shaving or sanding the
internal barrel surface, for example), the cap 30 or 40 will crack or
break, and the player will not be able to effectively replace the cap in
the barrel 14. Furthermore, because the observable or etched features of
the cap 30 or 40 are difficult to replicate or counterfeit, the player
will likely not be able to attain a suitable counterfeit cap to replace
the original cap 30 or 40. Accordingly, the presence of an unoriginal or
"unofficial" cap in a bat barrel 14 will provide evidence that tampering
with the inner surface of the barrel 14 may have occurred.

[0040]The ball bats described herein provide an observable indication of
whether tampering has occurred with the internal bat structure or the
barrel cap. As a result, users of the ball bats should be deterred from
shaving or sanding away internal layers of the bats, thus helping to
maintain the bats within association performance limits.

[0041]While several embodiments have been shown and described, various
changes and substitutions may of course be made, without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should
not be limited, except by the following claims and their equivalents.